Alberta Party
Encyclopedia
The Alberta Party Political Association, more commonly known as the Alberta Party, is a political party in the province of Alberta
, Canada
. The party describes itself as a centrist
and pragmatic party that is not dogmatically ideological in its approach to politics.
For most of its history the Alberta Party was a right-wing organization, until the rise of the Wildrose Alliance as Alberta's main right-wing alternative to the governing Progressive Conservatives
attracted away the Alberta Party's more conservative members. This left a small rump of moderates in control of the Alberta Party. In 2010 the Alberta Party board voted to merge with Renew Alberta, a progressive group that had been organizing to form a new political party in Alberta. The Alberta Party thus shed its conservative past for a more centrist
political outlook. The party has been cited in The Globe and Mail and The Economist as part of the break in one-party politics in Alberta.
and feelings that Premier Peter Lougheed
had done little to prevent the economic collapse it had caused. Some of these parties had already achieved some small success in attaining seats in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
, though the 1982 general election had seen Social Credit, the Alberta Reform Movement and the Western Canada Concept lose their representation in the Legislature. The preceding years had seen the birth of the Heritage Party of Alberta, Representative Party of Alberta and the Confederation of Regions, which made for a total of five parties to the right of the Progressive Conservatives in 1985. This coalition of parties took another blow in 1989, when the Social Credit Party withdrew its support from the Alliance.
On October 30, 1990 this alliance of parties gave way to the creation of a new political party in itself, the Alliance Party of Alberta. This change marked a transition away from trying to build a coalition of parties to full participation in electoral politics. The party participated in two by-elections, as well as fielding a handful of candidates in the 1993 general election
but received only a small percentage of the popular vote in each case. The party did not contest the 1997 provincial election
.
and the Manitoba Party
by changing its name to the Alberta Party Political Association, or the Alberta Party for short. Shortly before the 2004 election, the Alberta Party attempted to merge with the Alberta Alliance Party
. The failed deal would have guaranteed all Alberta Party candidates nominations in the riding of their choosing. The merged party would have adopted the Alberta Party platform, and Alberta party provincial council would have had seats on the Alberta Alliance Provincial Council. The deal fell through because the Alberta Party would not agree to de-register the Alberta Party name with Elections Alberta
.
The Alberta Party then invited MLA and Alberta Alliance Leader Paul Hinman
, and Alberta Social Credit Party Leader Lavern Ahlstrom
to speak at the Alberta Party annual convention in Red Deer with the hopes of fostering new cooperation between right-of-centre parties to oppose the Progressive Conservatives
.
In the 2004 provincial election
, the party nominated candidates in four ridings, winning a total of 2,485 votes, or 0.3% of the provincial total. This was a reduction of 0.6% from the previous election. The party managed to field just one candidate, Margaret Saunter, for the March 3 2008 provincial election. Saunter placed last out of a field of six candidates in Edmonton-Centre, capturing just 0.46% of the vote.
deputy leader Edwin Erickson
, who had been in the process of organizing a new "Progress Party", was invited to run as a leadership candidate for the Alberta Party instead and won by acclamation. In 2010 the Alberta Party board voted to merge with Renew Alberta, a progressive and centrist group that had been organizing to form a new political party.
During the merger process, the party's board agreed to suspend its old policy platform and start anew. To create a new platform different from its more right-wing history, in 2010 the party launched a campaign called "The Big Listen" in order to canvass the public for new policy ideas. The party held its first policy convention on November 13 and 14, 2010 to develop substantive policies from the ideas heard during the Big Listen. At the convention, Erickson stepped down to make way for an acting leader until a leadership contest could be held. A first set of policies was released on November 23, 2010, to coincide with the announcement of the appointment of an acting leader, Sue Huff
. These policies centred on five key areas: Economy, Health, Environment, Democratic Renewal and Education. On January 24, 2011, former Liberal MLA Dave Taylor announced he was joining the Alberta Party, becoming the party's first MLA.
, mayor of Hinton
; Tammy Maloney, a social entrepreneur; businessman Randy Royer; and Lee Easton, chair of the English program at Mount Royal University. Chris Tesarski, CEO of Sandbox Energy Corporation, was also a candidate early in the contest, but on April 15 announced he would not seek the party's leadership, citing disagreements with some aspects of the party's philosophy and some party members' attitudes towards his candidacy. Dave Taylor, the party's only MLA, was also expected to run for the leadership, but did not join the race. At the convention, the election was decided on the first ballot with Glenn Taylor winning just over 55% of the votes.
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The party describes itself as a centrist
Centrism
In politics, centrism is the ideal or the practice of promoting policies that lie different from the standard political left and political right. Most commonly, this is visualized as part of the one-dimensional political spectrum of left-right politics, with centrism landing in the middle between...
and pragmatic party that is not dogmatically ideological in its approach to politics.
For most of its history the Alberta Party was a right-wing organization, until the rise of the Wildrose Alliance as Alberta's main right-wing alternative to the governing Progressive Conservatives
Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta
The Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta is a provincial centre-right party in the Canadian province of Alberta...
attracted away the Alberta Party's more conservative members. This left a small rump of moderates in control of the Alberta Party. In 2010 the Alberta Party board voted to merge with Renew Alberta, a progressive group that had been organizing to form a new political party in Alberta. The Alberta Party thus shed its conservative past for a more centrist
Centrism
In politics, centrism is the ideal or the practice of promoting policies that lie different from the standard political left and political right. Most commonly, this is visualized as part of the one-dimensional political spectrum of left-right politics, with centrism landing in the middle between...
political outlook. The party has been cited in The Globe and Mail and The Economist as part of the break in one-party politics in Alberta.
Early history
The history of the Alberta Party begins in the early 1980s in an alliance of small right-wing political parties. The right side of Alberta's political spectrum was fragmented by parties spawned in the wake of the National Energy ProgramNational Energy Program
The National Energy Program was an energy policy of the Government of Canada. It was created under the Liberal government of Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau by Minister of Energy Marc Lalonde in 1980, and administered by the Department of Energy, Mines and Resources.-Description:The NEP was...
and feelings that Premier Peter Lougheed
Peter Lougheed
Edgar Peter Lougheed, PC, CC, AOE, QC, is a Canadian lawyer, and a former politician and Canadian Football League player. He served as the tenth Premier of Alberta from 1971 to 1985....
had done little to prevent the economic collapse it had caused. Some of these parties had already achieved some small success in attaining seats in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
Legislative Assembly of Alberta
The Legislative Assembly of Alberta is one of two components of the Legislature of Alberta, the other being the Queen, represented by the Lieutenant-Governor of Alberta. The Alberta legislature meets in the Alberta Legislature Building in the provincial capital, Edmonton...
, though the 1982 general election had seen Social Credit, the Alberta Reform Movement and the Western Canada Concept lose their representation in the Legislature. The preceding years had seen the birth of the Heritage Party of Alberta, Representative Party of Alberta and the Confederation of Regions, which made for a total of five parties to the right of the Progressive Conservatives in 1985. This coalition of parties took another blow in 1989, when the Social Credit Party withdrew its support from the Alliance.
On October 30, 1990 this alliance of parties gave way to the creation of a new political party in itself, the Alliance Party of Alberta. This change marked a transition away from trying to build a coalition of parties to full participation in electoral politics. The party participated in two by-elections, as well as fielding a handful of candidates in the 1993 general election
Alberta general election, 1993
The Alberta general election of 1993 was the twenty-third general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on June 15, 1993 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta...
but received only a small percentage of the popular vote in each case. The party did not contest the 1997 provincial election
Alberta general election, 1997
The Alberta general election of 1997 was the twenty-fourth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on March 11, 1997 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
.
Alberta Party
In 1998, the Alliance Party followed the example of the Saskatchewan PartySaskatchewan Party
The Saskatchewan Party is a conservative liberal political party in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The party was established in 1997 by a coalition of former provincial Progressive Conservative and Liberal party members and supporters who sought to remove the Saskatchewan New Democratic...
and the Manitoba Party
Manitoba Party
The Manitoba Party was a political party in Manitoba, Canada. It was formed in 1998, and fielded twelve candidates in the 1999 provincial election, none of whom came close to being elected. It attempted to contest the 2003 election as well, but was not able to find the five candidates needed for...
by changing its name to the Alberta Party Political Association, or the Alberta Party for short. Shortly before the 2004 election, the Alberta Party attempted to merge with the Alberta Alliance Party
Alberta Alliance Party
The Alberta Alliance was a right wing provincial political party in Alberta, Canada. Many of its members were former supporters of the now-defunct Canadian Alliance federal political party and its predecessor, the Reform Party of Canada. Members also joined from such other provincial fringe parties...
. The failed deal would have guaranteed all Alberta Party candidates nominations in the riding of their choosing. The merged party would have adopted the Alberta Party platform, and Alberta party provincial council would have had seats on the Alberta Alliance Provincial Council. The deal fell through because the Alberta Party would not agree to de-register the Alberta Party name with Elections Alberta
Elections Alberta
Elections Alberta is the non-partisan organization which oversees general elections and by-elections for the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. Elections Alberta also oversees Senatorial elections and plebiscites.-History:...
.
The Alberta Party then invited MLA and Alberta Alliance Leader Paul Hinman
Paul Hinman
Paul Hinman is a provincial politician and small business entrepreneur from Alberta, Canada. He was formerly the leader of the Wildrose Alliance. He served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 2004 to 2008 representing the electoral district of Cardston-Taber-Warner...
, and Alberta Social Credit Party Leader Lavern Ahlstrom
Lavern Ahlstrom
Lavern Ahlstrom is a retired provincial level politician and former leader of the Alberta Social Credit Party.-Political career:Ahlstrom first became involved with Social Credit in the 1970s. He has been a perennial candidate for the party with some moderately successful showings during his career...
to speak at the Alberta Party annual convention in Red Deer with the hopes of fostering new cooperation between right-of-centre parties to oppose the Progressive Conservatives
Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta
The Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta is a provincial centre-right party in the Canadian province of Alberta...
.
In the 2004 provincial election
Alberta general election, 2004
The Alberta general election of 2004 was the twenty-sixth general election for the province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on November 22, 2004 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
, the party nominated candidates in four ridings, winning a total of 2,485 votes, or 0.3% of the provincial total. This was a reduction of 0.6% from the previous election. The party managed to field just one candidate, Margaret Saunter, for the March 3 2008 provincial election. Saunter placed last out of a field of six candidates in Edmonton-Centre, capturing just 0.46% of the vote.
Ideological shift and party renewal
After the rise of the Wildrose Alliance as Alberta's main right-wing alternative to the governing Progressive Conservatives, the right-wing members of the Alberta Party left to join the Wildrose Alliance. This left a small rump of centrists in control of the party. In 2009, former Green Party of AlbertaGreen Party of Alberta
The Green Party of Alberta, also known as the Alberta Greens, was a provincial political party in the province of Alberta, Canada.The Alberta Greens were formed in 1986 and received official party status on April 6, 1990...
deputy leader Edwin Erickson
Edwin Erickson (Alberta politician)
Edwin Erickson is a Canadian politician from Calgary, Alberta. He was the leader of the Alberta Party from January to October 2010. He has been active in Alberta politics since 2004. Prior to joining the Alberta Party, he served as the Deputy Leader of the Alberta Green Party and placed second as...
, who had been in the process of organizing a new "Progress Party", was invited to run as a leadership candidate for the Alberta Party instead and won by acclamation. In 2010 the Alberta Party board voted to merge with Renew Alberta, a progressive and centrist group that had been organizing to form a new political party.
During the merger process, the party's board agreed to suspend its old policy platform and start anew. To create a new platform different from its more right-wing history, in 2010 the party launched a campaign called "The Big Listen" in order to canvass the public for new policy ideas. The party held its first policy convention on November 13 and 14, 2010 to develop substantive policies from the ideas heard during the Big Listen. At the convention, Erickson stepped down to make way for an acting leader until a leadership contest could be held. A first set of policies was released on November 23, 2010, to coincide with the announcement of the appointment of an acting leader, Sue Huff
Sue Huff
Sue Huff is a politician from Alberta, Canada. She was the acting leader of the Alberta Party from November 23, 2010 to May 28, 2011. She served as an elected public school trustee for the city of Edmonton from 2007 to 2010.-Political career:...
. These policies centred on five key areas: Economy, Health, Environment, Democratic Renewal and Education. On January 24, 2011, former Liberal MLA Dave Taylor announced he was joining the Alberta Party, becoming the party's first MLA.
2011 leadership election
It was announced in January 2011 that a leadership convention would be held in Edmonton on May 28, 2011. Four candidates contested for the leadership of the party: Glenn TaylorGlenn Taylor
Glenn Taylor is a politician from Alberta, Canada. He is the leader of the Alberta Party and mayor of Hinton.-Political career:Taylor was a candidate for the Alberta New Democratic Party in 1997 in the riding of West Yellowhead, and in 2001 was elected to Hinton town council. In 2004 he was elected...
, mayor of Hinton
Hinton, Alberta
Hinton is a town in west-central Alberta, Canada.It is located in Yellowhead County, northeast of Jasper and about west of Alberta's capital city, Edmonton, at the intersection of Yellowhead and Bighorn Highway, in the Athabasca River valley.-History:...
; Tammy Maloney, a social entrepreneur; businessman Randy Royer; and Lee Easton, chair of the English program at Mount Royal University. Chris Tesarski, CEO of Sandbox Energy Corporation, was also a candidate early in the contest, but on April 15 announced he would not seek the party's leadership, citing disagreements with some aspects of the party's philosophy and some party members' attitudes towards his candidacy. Dave Taylor, the party's only MLA, was also expected to run for the leadership, but did not join the race. At the convention, the election was decided on the first ballot with Glenn Taylor winning just over 55% of the votes.
Leadership election results
First ballot result:| Candidate | Votes | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Glenn Taylor Glenn Taylor Glenn Taylor is a politician from Alberta, Canada. He is the leader of the Alberta Party and mayor of Hinton.-Political career:Taylor was a candidate for the Alberta New Democratic Party in 1997 in the riding of West Yellowhead, and in 2001 was elected to Hinton town council. In 2004 he was elected... |
665 | 55.42% |
| Randy Royer | 287 | 23.92% |
| Lee Easton | 144 | 12.00% |
| Tammy Maloney | 104 | 8.67% |
| TOTAL | 1,200 | 100.0% |
Leaders
| Picture | Name | Start | Finish | Banner | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Howard Thompson | 1986 | 1993 | Alberta Political Alliance | ||
| Alliance Party | |||||
| Mark Waters Mark Waters (politician) -Political career:Waters was head of the lobby group Albertans For Responsible Government. The group was formed to pressure the Alberta government into bringing in democratic reforms such as citizens based initiatives.... |
1993 | 1997 | |||
| George Flake George Flake George Flake is a former politician from Alberta, Canada. He twice served as leader of the minor provincially registered Alberta Party from 1997 to 1999 and again from 2001 to 2004.-Political career:... |
1997 | 1999 | |||
| Alberta Party | |||||
| Fred Schorning Fred Schorning Fred Schorning is a former provincial level politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as leader of the provincially registered Alberta Party from 1999 until 2001.-Political career:... |
1999 | 2001 | |||
| George Flake | 2001 | 2004 | Second time as leader. | ||
| Bruce Stubbs Bruce Stubbs Bruce Stubbs is a farmer and political figure in Alberta, Canada. He first came to public attention as a leading member of G.U.A.R.D. , a group opposed to the United Alternative process which formed the Canadian Alliance from the Reform Party of Canada.He is a former leader of the Alberta Party, a... |
2004 | 2009 | |||
| Robert Leddy Robert Leddy Robert Leddy is a provincial politician from Alberta, Canada. The former interim leader of the Alberta Party, he was elected in Red Deer, Alberta on August 29, 2009.-Political career:... |
2009 | January 28, 2010 | First leader of the ideological shift. | ||
| Edwin Erickson Edwin Erickson (Alberta politician) Edwin Erickson is a Canadian politician from Calgary, Alberta. He was the leader of the Alberta Party from January to October 2010. He has been active in Alberta politics since 2004. Prior to joining the Alberta Party, he served as the Deputy Leader of the Alberta Green Party and placed second as... |
January 28, 2010 | November 22, 2010 | Leader for merger with Renew Alberta. | ||
| Sue Huff Sue Huff Sue Huff is a politician from Alberta, Canada. She was the acting leader of the Alberta Party from November 23, 2010 to May 28, 2011. She served as an elected public school trustee for the city of Edmonton from 2007 to 2010.-Political career:... |
November 23, 2010 | May 28, 2011 | Interim Leader and first female leader of the party. | ||
| Glenn Taylor Glenn Taylor Glenn Taylor is a politician from Alberta, Canada. He is the leader of the Alberta Party and mayor of Hinton.-Political career:Taylor was a candidate for the Alberta New Democratic Party in 1997 in the riding of West Yellowhead, and in 2001 was elected to Hinton town council. In 2004 he was elected... |
May 28, 2011 | Present | Elected at a convention in Edmonton. |
Election results
| Banner | Election | Date | Candidates | Seats | Vote | % Province | % Riding |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alliance Party | Little Bow Little Bow (electoral district) Little Bow is a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, Canada.The district, named after the Little Bow River, was created in 1913 from the north-west corner of Lethbridge District and the eastern portions of Okotoks, High River, Nanton and Claresholm... by-election |
March 5, 1992 | 1 | 0 | 399 | 7.14% | |
| Three Hills by-election | October 26, 1992 | 1 | 0 | 566 | 5.47% | ||
| 1993 general election Alberta general election, 1993 The Alberta general election of 1993 was the twenty-third general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on June 15, 1993 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta... |
4 | 0 | 3,548 | 0.36% | |||
| Alberta Party | 2001 general election Alberta general election, 2001 The Alberta general election of 2001 was the twenty-fifth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on March 12, 2001 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.... |
Coalition with Social Credit Social Credit Party of Alberta The Alberta Social Credit Party is a provincial political party in Alberta, Canada, that was founded on the social credit monetary policy and conservative Christian social values.... |
|||||
| 2004 general election Alberta general election, 2004 The Alberta general election of 2004 was the twenty-sixth general election for the province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on November 22, 2004 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.... |
November 22, 2004 | 4 | 0 | 2,485 | 0.30% | ||
| 2008 general election | March 3, 2008 | 1 | 0 | 51 | 0.01% | ||